New York man with severe milk allergy claims Big Mac almost killed him

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A New York man with a severe milk allergy is suing McDonald’s for an undisclosed amount, claiming the Big Mac he ordered almost killed him.

Charles Olsen, 28, from Rockland County outside New York City, says he received a Big Mac with a cheese slice, even though he requested “No American cheese” when ordering on a food delivery app. The burger was made at the McDonald’s franchise at 335 Eighth Avenue, a screenshot of the order shows.

Soon after he took his first few bites of the Big Mac in February 2021, Olsen said he suffered an allergic reaction, according to the New York Post, based on Olsen’s lawsuit filed Friday in New York Supreme Court. He “immediately felt like something wasn’t right,” according to the lawsuit.

“His throat began to itch and swell,” the lawsuit claims. “He felt a burning sensation throughout his body. He looked at his girlfriend, Alexandra, and coughed, ‘there’s milk in this!’”

Olsen’s girlfriend rushed him to a hospital, where he was admitted with anaphylaxis. His body was covered in hives and his breathing was laboured, the lawsuit claims.

Doctors stabilized him hours later, but he almost required intubation to survive, the suit says.

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The owner of the McDonald’s franchise where the Big Mag originated told the Post that “nothing is more important than the safety of our customers. We take every complaint seriously and are actively reviewing these claims.”

According to the Post, Olsen said in a statement that he wants to hold restaurants responsible for the ingredients they put in their food. He alleged there was no allergy or cross-contamination warning when he put in his order.

“I’ve had to go through my entire life having to tiptoe around menus, dealing with staff that doesn’t know how to handle food allergies, and so on,” he said through his lawyers, according to the Post. “Allergies should be such a simple thing to be able to cater to as an establishment. There’s no reason why it can’t be clearly listed, options aren’t included when making an order to indicate allergies, and the staff properly trained to handle such a simple thing.”